SERIOUSLY? This is so friggin’ scary and pathetic. Makes women look insane. This video is of the stampede that occurred at H&M opening day of the Sonia Rykiel line. I mean, maybe if they were giving away free Laboutins and kisses from Rob Pattinson inside I’d be a participant in this kind of hysteria, but over a $35 shirt that will unravel as you leave the store? COME ON LADIES! Get a grip!
Archive for the ‘nonsense’ Category
My brain is too full of real life to ponder the fabulousness of a armchair today, so I hope you don’t mind if I take this chance to just brain dump on you. This has been a crazy month and it just was made a million times more insane by the fact that we plan to accept an offer on our condo tonight-an offer that if it comes to fruition will mean I have to find a place to live by April 15th. True to form, this massive change has caused me to panic. Historically I’ve never been good with risk and change, the mere thought of unplanned and unexpected activity practically giving me hives. I’ve lead a careful life, every move thought over a hundred times and then pondered some more before ever taking action. I’ve made decisions because others important to me told me they were the right decisions. I’ve stayed in bad relationships, bad jobs and bad situations longer than tolerable simply because the idea of change paralyzed me so. But in the past two years I’ve slowly been unraveling that cloak of cautiousness by tugging on each tightly woven thread of security with new found courage. It’s been both immensely gratifying and totally scary at the same time- and this moment right now might be the most intense yet.
We bought this condo on impulse, which of course was hard for me. But I fell in love with it and the life that could fill it’s walls, and as we all know real estate needs to be a mix of emotion and smarts, not 110% heart. I tend to be the type who falls in love every day, full of emotion and passion but sometimes a bit lacking in balance. So we signed away on this home with a future life full of babies and wild financial success in mind. How things have changed. While financially we are pretty stable and my business has had unexpected and wild success, the baby question remains exactly that- a question. Empty guest bedrooms that echo of “you’re 30, you should have a baby” leave me rattled because frankly, I don’t want one right now. I want one, someday in the not too distant future, but right now I’m not ready. And selling this condo and moving into a smaller rental makes that decision audible to the whole world, which feels a bit like raising a white flag and surrendering my perfectly timed plan of “married by 26 (check), baby by 30 (…)” I know, I have time, I’m only 30, but I can’t help but feel I’m letting people down by not feeling the hormonal frenzy of motherhood pulsing through my veins. Instead I feel the burning wish to travel, write, explore, work hard and take the time to straighten out exactly what it is I want and need, as selfish as that may be. I like to think by turning keen focus inward on myself it will make me a better mother someday down the road.
But it does feel a bit like taking two steps backward. Surrendering the baby plan and going from owning to renting- even though I know it’s only temporary until we find a house to renovate and live in for a very long time (no more of this buy and sell in under three years business we’ve been doing)- feels a bit like trying to switch from drive to reverse while still moving. Of course after wanting nothing more than to sell, now that it might have happened, I walk around these rooms thinking about how lovely it is, how the light filters through the windows just right and how much I’ll miss it instead of recalling that burning need to move on I felt so keenly not two weeks ago. Classic “me”. I need to instead focus on this as an adventure, something I have not had enough of in my thirty years. The ability to move into the city and experience life full of convenience and bustling energy. A chance to breathe, think and be without the weight of a mortgage. Freedom, in a way, to know that I can do whatever I want next without being tied down. There is so much fullness to my life right now- opening an office, exciting business ventures developing , wonderful new friends to enjoy, trips to plan, moving…. possibilities seem to crowd each morning I wake up and it’s both terrifying and delightful at the same time. It’s not a time to make concrete decisions, it’s a time to explore, investigate and touch, taste and feel everything I can so that when I am ready to settle down a bit more and dig in with solid roots I will be comforted and content with the experiences I have had. But that doesn’t mean that in this moment, as my life begins to change dramatically, I am not sitting here scared as hell. It doesn’t mean that I don’t get totally frustrated with my inner monologue and would kindly tell it to shut up if I could. It also doesn’t mean that sometimes I wish I wanted something simpler, easier and typical. But I don’t.
I’ve been reading a lot of Paulo Coelho quotes recently, all of which sing to me on a huge level, so I figured I’d close by sharing them, hoping that if even only two of you are feeling the way I am it’ll give you a little courage to continue questioning everything:
“Pitiful is the person who is afraid of taking risks. Perhaps this person will never be disappointed or disillusioned; perhaps she won’t suffer the way people do when they have a dream to follow. But when the person looks back-she will hear her heart”
“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.”
“You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.”
“Everything tells me that I am about to make a wrong decision, but making mistakes is just part of life. What does the world want of me? Does it want me to take no risks, to go back to where I came from because I didn’t have the courage to say “yes” to life?”
Thanks for listening,
E
For those of you who are as amused as I am by Dwell Magazine and the like (sorry, I don’t want to live in a house with all plywood lined walls or concrete surfaces) there is the VERY funny new site Unhappy Hipsters. It’s exactly what I imagined all these cooler-than-thou types would be thinking. :)
A friend of mine suggested I start watching Lost. Yep, you read that right, START watching it. I love TV, but don’t watch a lot of the shows people assume I would i.e. Gossip Girl, The Hills, The City, anything Housewives related, Greys Anatomy, etc. But I decided to give Lost a go with the first season DVD and sweet baby Jesus, I. AM. HOOKED. Like drug-addict hooked. When the last episode on the DVD finished and there were no more I became completely panicked and seriously considered going out to by the whole series. But my willpower reared it’s ugly head, and I shall now wait for Netflix to deposit the next one in my mailbox. The sight of that sweet red envelope will make me convulse in glee.
Here’s the thing though, part of me was kinda jealous of the people on that island. that’s how deranged I am right now with this winter weather. It’s just so damn pretty (despite the smoke monsters/polar bears) and made me think of my two weeks in Hawaii and lifetime ago. And now all I can think about as I sit here with a pile of work to do is going back to Kauai- more specifically, The Princeville resort on the Napali Coast where we stayed for one of those weeks (the other at the very glam Four Seasons Wailea). It’s been purchased and renovated by The St. Regis and looks better than ever, but the best part about it is the location. It is the most peaceful, happy place on earth and I want to go back NOW. This frigid weather is turning me into a complete sourpuss.
I need sun.
I need warmth.
I need TO GET THE HELL OUT OF NEW ENGLAND.
Ok, I’m done venting. Thanks.
What I’m listening to this Valentines weekend- full of an assortment of old school, funky, jazzy, sappy, booty shakin’ tunes:
What I’m wearing (sized down so it’s more fitted, less frumpy):
What I’m making:
What I’m drinking, because the name makes me laugh and the label makes me swoon:
What I’d Send Out If I Had Time:
What I’m seeing:
What I’m feeling, for you my dear readers, is lots of love. You are my Valentines this year. A big smooch to you all with a wish for a lovely weekend.
xoxo
ERIN
Check me out, I’m a triple threat today with three posts! This was too good not to share though. My brother posted it on Facebook and it’s so appropriate for this blog I had to leap over and show you all! No matter where you go in this country, there are those local furniture store ads that completely horrify you and make you wonder “who shops there?” Well, here’s the best version of one I’ve ever seen. Be sure to watch the whole thing- it only gets better. HAPPY FRIDAY!
Does your guy’s gut runneth over from a few too many beers and pizza? Well, it appears that Spanx has come out with a line of compression undershirts for men! I think we should call them Manx and I find them positively HILARIOUS. I also love that they have this dude, with his rippling abs, modeling them. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE me some Spanx and I know that 99% of my girlfriends do too. In fact at a wedding recently my friend and I both realized we forgot to pack ours and we were all “OMG- this is a disaster!” Seriously. Even Andrew knew this was a PROBLEM, so he offered to go out buy me and my friend some (the sign of a keeper, no?) However, I don’t think men will be as addicted to their own Spanx- what do you think?
Before and After shot that I call bullshit on.
I felt like I was alienating a chunk of readers by commenting incessantly on Twilight so I wasn’t going to post a review, but since so many of you have asked for one- here it is. Brief, and totally biased, but my take on the latest installment of Twilight.
Midnight on a Thursday and all 13 theaters at the Boston Common cinemas were playing New Moon- and completely sold out. I had spent the hours leading up to it with friends (and the most amazing New Moon red velvet mini cupcakes courtesy of Sweet) imbibing in Culletinis and drooling over Rob’s Vanity Fair spread…again. We got amazing seats, brought a Lululemon water bottle full of wine (totally an oxymoron) and waited….and waited. Most of the women there were more mature, with a scattering of teens complaining about having tests in the morning and WAY more guys than I ever would have expected. No screaming, no hysterics, which was a delightful surprise.
By the time the movie started I was EXHAUSTED, so I don’t feel like it got my full attention. My overall reaction was this though: Team Jacob? Taylor Lautner was the best thing in the movie, physically (holy sh*t) and acting wise. He’s darling and makes you really root for Jacob- even if you are a die hard Edward fan (ahem!). Kristen Stewart is beyond terrible in my opinion- her whole performace a series of tortured facial expressions and huffing. She does look effortlessly beautiful though. Rob wasn’t great either. His “swoon worthy” lines seemed forced and he looked like he was in pain (and those contacts looked extra painful this time around). I understand he’s a brooding, heartbroken vampire who IS in pain, but it felt….awkward. The special effects are a bit better than the last time, and the wolfpack is pretty darn cool. What was really funny is that while 90% of the theater was “Robsessed”, when it came time for his big shirtless scene it went silent. No yelping or cat calling, because after spending most of the film watching Taylor run around shirtless you sensed that everyone almost felt bad for skinny, pale Rob (and I love him, and don’t typically dig muscley guys!)
The story is in line with the book,the direction was better than the first and the end makes you want more, but overall I was a little let down. I didn;t feel any passion in a film that is supposed to be all about passion. Perhaps it was my level of exhaustion, perhaps it was just so overhyped that nothing would impress me. The books are just so much better, it’s not even funny. I’m going to go see it again when I’m wide awake and perhaps I’ll feel different. Let me know what you guys think!!!
I am unabashedly going to geek out so hardcore today over the release of New Moon at midnight tonight! I’ve got a great event to go to first at Luna Boston, and then a pre-party with some equally excited women at which I’ll change from my “designer persona” duds into this little number and completely FREAK MY FREAK until midnight when I’ll be in the theaters with throngs of screaming ladies watching the movie! It’s like Christmas morning!
And you thought I was cool….
I did have a reader write me a while ago asking me if I would do a Twilight inspired room post. If any day is appropriate for me to do this, it’s today. I wanted it to reflect the dark moodiness of the movie, but not the typical “black and red” vampire color scheme. So instead I chose black, white and deep forest green, which reminds me of the mossy, damp town of Forks (wow, I can’t believe I’m writing this). And what better room to base on Edward and Twilight than a bedroom? (wink, wink) Since Edward is 100+ years old, I wanted the room to have a mix of antique styles from different decades-almost as if they were collected throughout time. Everything has a reference to the book (canopy bed, fur blanket, deer head, etc.) and I think all and all, it looks quite chic and not “Twilight” at all! The perfect room for the grown up Twi-hard who doesn’t want posters on her wall!
The room itself would be very much like Jenna Lyon’s bedroom- creamy marble mantle, black walls and great architectural detail. I’d make the focus piece this antiqued mirrored “True Romance” Neirmann Weeks bed (hey, vampires are loaded so budget isn’t a factor). I’d pop an alabaster deer head above the headboard for a really graphic, unexpected punch. And the room would smell of Diptyque’s Baies Noir candles…
An antique rug and deep green velvet drapes would create a really rich atmosphere.
Simple sleek white with black Yves Delorme bedding and a faux fur throw (hello Jacob) at the foot and mirrored pillows for a shimmery effect.
A mid-century chandelier to add some funk:
Alabaster lamps on top of Moorish inlaid tables giving it an eclectic, cultural look.
A antique dresser topped with bell jars covering plants and mosses and tons of candles in mercury holders.
Wall decor would be varied- a really large format photograph on one wall that looks oh-so appropriate, something modern and abstract on another (this is Amanda Talley) and a Venetian mirror above the dresser (to reflect the Italian component of the book)
In a seating area (with large photograph from above hung on wall) a Barcelona daybed with a pillow in Schumacher’s Shock Wave velvet with a green throw and petrified wood side table.
And by that, of course, Sapien bookshelves stacked with old books:
Of course I had to create a themed cocktail for the party leading up to the midnight showing, so here it is:
The Sparkly Vampire Martini
(a.k.a. the Cullentini, a.k.a. What Will Get Me Drunk Enough To Deal With Hordes of Screaming Teenagers at Midnight Tonight)
1 1/2 shots citrus vodka (you can make it 2 if you want to SEE sparkles)
splash of Chambord
1/2 shot simple syrup
1 shot pomegranate juice (POM is good)
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
rub rim of lemon wedge around rim of glass and coat in sparkly sugar (mine is Stirrings Lemon Drop Sugar Rim)
Shake and pour into glass. Drink enough that when you get to the theater for the midnight New Moon showing you start kissing the Rob Pattinson cardboard cutout on display while your friends laugh/take pictures to post on Facebook.
I am wiping away the tears from this parody from Funny or Die. I had to share- it’s way too funny not to! Warning: may not be totally safe for work! :)
Lashisse from Molly Sims
